UUSJ Delivers 850 Climate Advocacy Letters on Capitol Hill | Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth

“PLEASE SAVE THE EARTH”, is the spot-on message from a 5-year old constituent to his Senator during Spring for Change; a Season for Sacred Activism

Sen. Sherrod Brown, OH shares “I like what the [UU] church stands for,” with Doris Marlin.

UUSJ Corps members MacKenzie and Bishop deliver 46 letters to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer plus 8 drawings from Washington DC children depicting why it still matters that we protect our earth.

VA UU Advocacy Corps members carry monthly mail and messages to the Hill, part of the 27 nearby VA, MD and DC UU Congregations

Twenty UUSJ Advocacy Corps members gather in Senate Cafeteria to review Key Climate Action Talking Points before setting out to visit 53 Senate Offices; delivering letters from 29 congregations.

In April 2019, UU Ministry for Earth and Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) partnered to hold a letter writing advocacy campaign in its Spring for Change: a Season of Sacred Activism program, with a goal of collecting 600 letters.

On May 14th, 2019, twenty UUSJ Advocacy Corps volunteers delivered 850 letters from 29 congregations in 17 states to 34 U.S. Senators, and carried our Climate Urgency Ask to 19 more key Senators.

Specifically, we asked Senators to take urgent action to address the climate crisis and particularly highlighted 1) the RECLAIM Act 2019 to release $1B for reclamation and restoration of land and water resources, 2) the interfaith community’s guidelines for much needed carbon pricing legislation, and 3) the need to for any new Infrastructure mandates to ensure resilience to climate change.

“I like what the [UU] church stands for; You stand for the right things,” said former presidential candidate Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio to the Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice Advocacy Corps.

Sen. Brown’s hand-delivered letters were written by the members of the Social Justice Committee of Hopedale UU Community in Oxford, Ohio.

Talking with Sen. Brown was music to my ears. We visit the Hill to develop relationships with our representatives, explain how UUs advocate for legislation consistent with our seven principles, and make sure our Representatives hear our “Tiny but Mighty” UU voice. Box Checked for Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio!

Finally, we thanked the 48 sponsors for Senate Joint Resolution 9, that calls for immediate climate action by Congress, and encouraged support from all others.

Sara Abdelkhalek, our new UUSJ Advocacy Consultant had her first experience with UUSJ, and said “it felt like an orchestra of sincere effort and dedication, a true reflection of how social justice should be done.” It was the most enthusiastic month so far and there’s room for 700+ more UU congregations to join in.

Because, as UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick Gray has emphasized, “This is no time for casual faith.”

To raise Your Voice In the National Capital every month with Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, learn more at UUSJ Write Here Write Now.